Assasin's Creed
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: An assasin is a shadow. They strike swiftly, silently, effortlessly. They are killers for hire, uncaring, unfeeling, they show mercy to none. He feels no mercy for his enemies. Neither does she. Like the shadows themselves, they strike. IchigoxSuzumebachi
1. Prologue: Moonlight

**_Moonlight _**

The full moon shone bright and clear as it peeked through the clouds. A symbol of light, a symbol of peace, a sign of tranquility in the night. The silver light that came through the clouds reflected off the roof tiles of the first division. Across these same tiles, a man shrouded in black, walked.

It was a festive night. The skies were filled with the multicolored display that could only be fireworks, the colorful explosions occasionally giving light to the face that hid beneath the cowl. One could hear the boisterous laughter of men and women, accompanined by the rich sound of music, the sweet smell of well aged wine, in the distance.

_He,_ however, kept silent, clinging to the shadows when he could, and when he couldn't, he did everything in his powerr to make certain that his purpose remain unknown. The only distinguishable feature about him, was the massive blade strapped to his back, bound by a red chain that ran the length of his shoulder. Beside him, seemingly floating in midair, was another, noticeably diminutive figure. So small in fact, that she could easily sit on his shoulder, and still not be very noticeable.

"Almost there?"

"Almost."

As they neared their destination, they passed countless passerby, some of whom, in their inebriated stupor, just let them be, passing by unhindered, undetected. However, as they crowd of departees began to clear, so did their cover. Now, most of whom they encountered were the guards overseeing the ceremony to which they were now headed. Moving when the fireworks paused, they struck silently and tactfully in the darkness.

Their adversaries slumped down noiselessly upon being approached by them. It was as if they had fallen into a deep, deep slumber, but this was a sweet, blissful dream from which they would not awaken until the events of this night had passed. But soon, there was no darkness to hide by, no shadows cast by the fireworks to creep about in. Other, more aware, resilient shinigami, had the wherewithal to resist the spell.

Unfortunately and unlike their fellows, it was _these men_ who would suffer the cruelest fate. No one could know of their mission. All witnesses posed a threat to the secrecy of their task, a commitment that must be fufilled in the darkness and silence. Failure...was unacceptable

Now, a contingent of guards approached the duo with questions, and hands on the hilt of their blades. Surrounding him, they fenced the man in, leaving him nowhere to go, nowhere to escape to, should he attempt to flee. They did not noticed how his companion had vanished.

"You there..." A bulky, heavyset man, apparently the leader, spoke up with the distinctive scent of liquor on his breath. "What business do you have here? And what exactly have you done to my men?"

"No business, fukutaichou-san." The man replied humbly, inclining his head in a bow, keeping his face hidden. "Just a pair of travelers, passing through. As for your friends, perhaps they've just had too much sake to drink? The lot of you _were_ just at a wedding, after all."

"You were present at this morning's ceremony?" The head guard wore a look of extreme skepticism. He obviously didn't believe that this shady looking character was telling the truth. "I'll have to see your papers then, _sir."_

"My apologies." The man spread his arms wide to show that he had nothing on him. Hr glanced towards him, the foremost of the guards who had surrounded him. The lad was young, barely a century old by the way he was trembling."I seem to have left them in my other coat. Perhaps you could let me go get them-" A sword was brought to his throat, silencing him.

"I didn't catch your name, stranger."

"I never gave it." He replied with a pleasant smile. "Perhaps you'd like to give me yours?"

"Marechiyo Yoshiayamenosuke Nikkōtarōemon-

"My my," The man interrupted suddenly with a slow, shake of his head. "That won't do at all. It's such a _long_ name. Too long if you ask me. I don't think I'll be able to remember it..._after you die."_

_"WHAT?!"_

Omaeda fell, spurting blood in three places as he feebly clutched at his neck.

His comrades cried out in dismay, but it was already much too late for their friend. Another fell, his neck twisting itself to the left at an awkward angle. He wouldn't be getting up again. The third managed to draw his sword in time, only for another's to ram into his chest. A fourth tried to sound the alarm, but a palm slammed into his larynx, silencing him, before the strange weapon found his throat as well. Two more slumped to the ground, bleeding from the back of the head, and still another collapsed, clawing at his face. Having witnessed such horrifying display of power, the remaing men fell into disorder and attempted to flee. They hadn't gone more than ten steps before they too experienced a similar fate.

Throughout all this, not a sound was made.

Even as he finished off those who had survived the onslaught, there was silence. Only the sound of chirping crickets pervaded the air, filling the man with a sense of nostalgia as he set about his grim task of disposing with the bodies. Finally, his work done, the man stepped over those still slumbering guards who had succumbed to his spell, and continued onward, his head bowed. Such a pity, really. The good always died young, these days.

"Hey, you sure....you wanna do this?"

"..." He paused briefly, glancing to his companion, who had taken flight from his shoulder during the battle. She was a good deal smaller then he, her voice confirming her identity, the glow emanating from her body, giving her an almost fairy-like appearance flitting about. Though _his_ face could not be seen, he grinned, exposing pearly white teeth. He reached hand out from the folds of his robe, poking her with one finger. He spoke:

"If I recall correctly, this was _your_ idea."

"I....She sputtered furiously, before darting into the shadows once more, her golden glow dimming visibly as she resumed her customary perch upon his shoulder, little more than a dim speck of candlelight in the darkness. "Master, you're such a pain!"

"Relax." He gave her head a reassuring pat before withdrawing his arm back into the shadows. "This is nothing we haven't done before. We just have a bigger target this time, is all."

"'Kay." She relented quietly, gripping his shoulder with her tiny hands. He pulled out a photo of their target for her to see. This was a private job, no questions asked, no answers given. Infiltrate and assasinate the target, then they'd get paid the other half of their already significant sum.

"So....that's him?"

"It is. Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai." He held the poster closer to her face, so she could see the visage of their target. "Remember his name and face. It'll only take two hits, but the problem will be getting close in the first place. He's bound to be heavily guarded by _them."_

"Which is why you brought _that_, right?" Her gaze strayed to the unwieldly cleaver he'd brought specifically for this mission. There was just a flicker of irritation in her doe brown eyes now. "I don't see why you need _him_, I'm perfectly capable of handling this myself, you know."

"Jealous, are we?" He inquired pleasantly, flicking at one of her pigtails playfully. "How cute." She shrieked in surprise, darted away, pointed the stinger at him menacingly, lips parting into an angry hiss.

"Nu-uh! Suzumebachi is _not_ jealous! Say that again and I'll poke your eye out!"

"You always refer to yourself in the third person when you're upset." He noted, much to her ire. "And right now, you're redder than a cherry tomato, my dear Suzumebachi."

"Urusei!" She squeaked at him.


	2. Creed of the Kill

"Mah, mah." Ichigo hushed her with a soft pat on the head. "Do you want to wake everyone up?"

"You're the one being loud! NOT ME DAMNIT-

"HALT!" A much louder roar drowned out Suzumebachi's indignant squeak, this time, followed by an intense burst of reiatsu that nearly blew the duo clear off their feet and into the open air above. The indignant zanpaktou cast once glance over her shoulder, shrieked in surprise, then abruptly vanished, having dissapeared back into the thin stinger Ichigo wore on his right hand.

_This is all _your _fault!_

_'Now isn't a good time to argue about this.'_

Without so much as glancing toward the sound, Ichigo threw himself forward, narrowly escaping the first set of explosions that consumed the area he'd occupied moments ago. Skipping backwards, Ichigo peered at their attacker, amusement flickering across his features as he beheld him. There, looming over them like a great shadow, as a great, giant of a man, easily more than six feet tall. His face could not be seen behind the wooden helmet that covered his face, but the fact that he wore armor of his shihakusho and haori, suggested that he not be taken lightly.

"Quite a voice you have there."

"I should thank you for that compliment, intruder." A deep baritone voice boomed from behind the helmet. "Who are you?"

"Sorry, I can't tell you that." Ichigo pulled the cowl up to hide his face. "It's bad for businees."

"Then you are an assasin." A wave of ill intent flowed outward from the shinigami as he said this, making it all to clear how he felt on the subject. "I overheard you making plans to murder Yamamoto-donno. Tell me, are you truly so arrogant to think that you can kill him and escape unharmed?"

"Exacta." Ichigo took the comment in stride, gracing the massive shinigami with a flourishing bow. "And you are?"

"I am captain Sajjin Komamura of squad seven. And I," With a slow, practiced movement, Sajjin's hand closed about the large sword that had remained belted to his waist, another hand holding the sheathe steady as the katana escaped its confinement. No sooner had he drawn the blade then a towering shadow fell over Ichigo.

"Will be your excecutioner."

"!!"

"BANKAI!"

The giant sword was like a thunderbolt from the sky as it came down.

Everything stopped.

"Have you ever fought an unarmed opponent?"

As the smoke cleared, Sajjin's feelings of superiority quickly turned to dread. Standing in the center of a massive crater caused by the powerful attack, was the _assasin. _Unharmed, and not a scratch to be found on him. He smiled calmly up at the captain, who could only gawk at what lay before him

In the killer's bare hand was the enormous blade of _Kokujou Tengen Myo'ou._

The captain stood in complete amazement as Ichigo casually – _lazily_ – moved the massive weapon in his hand so that it no longer hovered above his head before allowing the sword to fall to the earth below with a thunderous crash. Slowly, the killer for-hire reached down and slid his blade from its clothed scabbard, black/silver edge almost indistinguishable from his his hand in the darkness.

Komamura suddenly fell to the ground, crimson blood gushing from his now opened belly, armor and pride shattering into a thousand pieces, along with his helmet, even as Ichigo walked leisurely towards him. The Shinigami, however, stared wide-eyed as he lay on the floor in a puddle of his own viscera. He couldn't move. He couldn't defend himself. He could barely even breathe as the cloaked figure strode past him and into the night.

"Farewell, Komamura-taichou." His voice grew fainter as the darkness swept him up into its embrace. "Next time, you'll give me a better fight, neh? Hopefully without that ugly helmet then."

With a mocking salute, he vanished in a swish of shunpo.

_'Now, for that pit-stop...._

--

He smiled at the memory, even as he parried what would have been a fatal stab, through and through to his heart. All according to the plan, he'd subdued one captain, and now, had deliberately drawn out another. Leaping back, Ichigo was rewarded with a frustrated snarl as the katana only took a few strands of orange hair, and not his life. No sooner had he landed upon the roof, then the captain was already there, his zanpaktou crackling through the air with obvious intent. Another near miss as Ichigo threw himself back towards the ground, rolled, and came back up upon his feet.

"Hoo boy," the man whistled, tossing aside his ruined sleeve, revealing a thin, shallow gash that ran the length of his elbow and leaked crimson. "Scary, scary. You nearly got me that time. However, I could say the same for you, your Kuchikiness."

A trio of homonka viciously blossomed across Byakuya's left eye, causing the noble to blink in surprise at the wound that now bled across the greater half of his face and int hos right eye. He hadn't even _felt _these injuries until just now. Was this man really that fast? How many additional blows had he sustained since this battle had begun? Far too many, and this was quickly beginning to try his already thin patience. Scowling, he held the katana up before his face. Very well then. If speed and close combat truly were his specialties, then a long ranged attack would surely do him in.

"Scatter." Byakuya declared, the blade dissolving into a cloud of cherry blossoms with the command. "Senbonzakura." Like a swarm of angry hornets, they encircled their master for a trio of tense seconds, before rocketing towards their target.

"Is that really wise?" Ichigo inquired, suddenly withdrawing the bound form of Hisana from his large cloak and holding her up before the swarm of cherry blossoms so she could clearly be seen by Byakuya. "She's in the way, after all." The noble froze in midstrike, unable to complete the revolution that had been meant to take the man's head from his shoulders. The blossoms hovered there for another moment, before withdrawing back to their retreating master. Now Ichigo had Suzumebachi's stinger held directly to Hisana's throat.

The advantage was _his_.

"Attack me again and she's gonna have one helluva scar."

Byakuya's glare was murderous. The head of the Kuchiki house was visibly trembling with rage, his hands clenching and unclenching as the storm that was Senbonzakura swirled about him restlessly. The killer intent was so strong that even those miles away felt the source of his malcontent.

_"Put her down at once."_

"Drop your sword." Ichigo commanded. "And I let her go."

_"I will not ask you again."_

"Drop you sword." Ichigo repeated coldly. "I can kill her before you take another step."

Byakuya was frozen in his tracks. He could hardly think, he could hardly breathe. There she was – the woman he loved, the woman who had given him a new life – dangling helplessly in the hand of this demon before him. His body was numb, his skin prickling as though every inch of him had fallen asleep.

Her violet eyes flickered up at him from beneath her sweat-soaked hair, silently pleading for him to ignore her and fight. He knew that was her plea from a single look; he could read her eyes better than most people could read a book. He knew her like he knew himself. He _loved _her. His chest ached just to see her like this, his stomach was slowly twisting itself into knots over and over again inside of him. She was going to die unless he did something.

Silently, slowly, _Senbonzakura _slipped from his hand and into the white tile below his feet.

_No! _He could see her eyes screaming at him. _Lord Byakuya! No!_

"I have done as you asked," Byakuya growled. "Now...release her."

"Oh, of course, your Kuchikiness." Ichigo laughed, rudely dropping Hisana on her butt. She immediately dissapeared, leaving the smart-mouthed assasin to dart away from the cloud of petals that lashed out at him. "After all, I didn't come here to take your darling bride away from you. "No, I have a much bigger fish to fry."

Byakuya said nothing for a moment as he embraced his wife. He pressed her sobbing face into his chest, holding her as tightly as he could without bringing any more harm to her. "Who are you and what are your intentions." Byakuya demanded then, slate grey eyes boring angrily into the amused brown orbs of his attacker.

"Ah, ah." Ichigo admonished, wagging a finger at the two. "That's for me to know, and you to never _ever _find out." Before any more could be said, he withdrew a small sphere from his right sleeve. "So, I'll be bidding the happy couple adieu. Enjoy your honeymoon!"

At that very moment however, the wind swept past, parting the hood, and revealing his face. Byakuya's reaction was instantaneous. As was Hisana's, for she crumpled to her knees in an instant upon recognizing him. As such, Byakuya fumed. This man was... "You?! I should have known that this would be your doing...Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"You know me well, Byakuya." Ichigo grinned, exposing pearly white teeth that flashed in the moonlight. "But like I said, there's bigger fish in the pond. Compared to my target, you're just a guppy. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some serious fishing to do." Without another word, he tossed the smoke bomb down, just as Byakuya released Hisana to mutter a kido spell.

Too late. The bolt of white lightning shot through the cloud of opaque smoke, revealing only empty air and the sound of laughter. When the cloud of smoke dissipated, the orange haired assasin was nowhere to be seen. All that was left, was a small note, upon which a few words had been scribbled. Ended with the usual pen-name.

_"I'll see you around, Byakuya Kuchiki. Don't worry, you'll be the first one to see the head captain's head impaled on my sword."_

_~Kurosaki Ichigo (a.k.a The Scarlet Assasin)_

**_Next time: Burnout Inferno_**


	3. Prelude to an Inferno

**A/N: It's official! I'm updating again! As I said in my previous post, I've also made a decision. SEVERAL fics are going up for adoption, SEVERAL others shall be continued, and SEVERAL are available for co-writing. If you're interested, feel free to PM me. By the way, this fic is seriously AU. The timeline has been a bit changed, as I'm sure you've all noticed. Then again, that was something I decided a long time ago, back when my writing ability was in its infancy.**

**I think I've clearly improved upon that, don't you?**

_An assassin needs no one...because he has nothing._

_~Kurosaki Ichigo._

**Prelude to Inferno**

Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai.

A man amongst men; a shinigami amongst shinigami. A great god of man who had no peer, no equal. He was the Captain-Commander. There was no shinigami greater than him in the last thousand years. Founder of the Shinigami Academy, each and every student swore an oath of fealty to him upon their graduation. Those who refused to do so, those who would not ally themselves with this great and vindictive death god...

...simply ceased to exist.

All respected this shinigami; because all feared him.

But in this day and age, even gods can fall. They can die slowly or they can perhaps perish in the blink of an eye. They can even be killed. Painfully or painlessly; their death so swift that they're not even aware of it at all.

Kurosaki Ichigo was leaning toward the latter.

He alighted effortlessly upon the Sou-Taichou's balcony, gracefully stepping off the railing and into the darkness. Had the Head Captain fallen asleep at his desk after such an arduously long wedding ceremony? Quit possibly. _Such a shame_. He wanted to look into the man's eyes as he died. He wanted to see the life, leach from his frame; the flame of his soul extinguished forevermore. He wanted the man responsible for his mother's murder to know that her son had wrought just vengeance upon his hide.

"Sting him to death," He hissed softly. _"Suzumebachi."_

With nary a whisper he ushered Suzumebachi from her sheathe; the slim wakizashi transforming, assuming the form of her shikai. A slim gauntlet ending in a pointed stinger coated in malcontent. Death in two steps. That was all it would take. The first would leave the mark. The second would drive the deadly dagger home, ending the life of Head Captain Yamamoto. Just like that, it would end. Soul Society would be leaderless. Helpless, against the invasion that was to come. And he would finally have his revenge. The thought brought a small smirk to Kurosaki's lips. The old bastard didn't deserve a clean death, not after what he'd done to his family, but it was easier this way.

He thrust Suzumebachi toward Yamamoto's slumbering face. The Head Captain lay there in his seat, head downturned, fingers clenched around the hilt and pommel of his one and only zanpakutou. Clenched. Around. The. Handle. _Shit. Shit shit shit SHIT-_

Too late, Kurosaki Ichigo realized his mistake. He'd erred on the side of bad judgement. Made the mistake of assuming his prey, a feeble old man, was just that. Feeble. Weak and unable to defend himself. He was wrong. The Head Captain was not asleep, as he'd expected him to be. He was awake.

And he was waiting for this, the precise instant in which he'd committed himself to the attack, to strike. Ichigo had just enough time to raise his free hand, to close it around a clothed handle at his back before the head captain answered in kind. He was still tearing the massive blade free from its wrapping, still summoning the reaitsu needed for their release, when the first spark sizzled across his flesh.

_"Ryujin-Jakka!"_

A great gout of flame burst from beneath the desk as the katana swept toward his face.

_'Not enough time!"_

With a snarl of disbelief, Kurosaki Ichigo broke off his attack; Suzumebachi's gleaming gauntlet shrieking in protest as the burning blade crashed against her. _Ouch!_ Instead of his life blood, he was greeted by a shower of sparks, staving off the attack. _It hurts!_ She wailed as the ancient zanpakuto drove them back, master and spirit alike. _That really really hurts, dumbass!_

Unable to do anything other than endure, Kurosaki Ichigo was sent crashing into the courtyard below. Black spots speckled across his vision as his head struck the many tiles of the first division. He was up in an instant, skipping backwards as a second firestorm descended upon his head.

Yamamto brought the blade back around, contemptuously batting aside another strike. His blade tore through empty air as his attack reappeared on the gondola opposite him the flames licking hungrily against the ground as the intruder danced out of their reach.

"Why are you here, youngster?" he demanded. "Do you not know who I am?"

"Of course I know you are, Head Captain. " The assassin grinned, a gorgeous streak of white in the night as he dragged himself upright. "I've done my research." Abruptly, his smile vanished. "Which is why you're about to die, you sick, twisted bastard."

He held Suzumebachi forward, her golden stinger glinting in the moonlight. _"Bankai." _This was the last word Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai heard before the courtyard burst into a thousand shards and enshrouded itself in golden light. And then it was gone, as quickly as it came. In place of the miniscule Suzumebachi; a massive construct loomed outward from the young Kurosaki's shoulder, sheathed in a curtain of saffron.

_"Jakuho Raikoben." _the ryoka announced, brandishing the hulking launcher menacingly, sighting down its scope.

But before the Head Captain could truly comprehend the magnificence of this, the boy drew the blade upon his back. He unsheathed it, a massive, cleaver-like weapon bearing a strong resemblance to a certain oversized butcher knife. He had but a glimpse of the unwieldly weapon before the assassin levered it upward its tapered tip swiveling like an immovable pivot toward the flabergasted commander.

"And-

_"Foolish!"_ With a flick of his wrist, the captain-commander brought an impenetrable inferno down on the boy's head. Rather, he tried. For no sooner had the flames neared the young Kurosaki than they dissipated. They simply ceased to be; vanishing against a sudden outpouring of reaitsu. The other smirked, golden eyes shining in sinister mirth. His grin had been menacing before, now, it was downright malevolent as he raised his gaze; revealing the grisly demonic visage gathering across his face.

**"Ban-kai."**

A tidal wave of azure roiled outward from his form, tearing across the tiles and devouring everything in its path. Midway through its expansion the light darkened; losing light and becoming something twisted. Reddish black radiance burst across the courtyard, swallowing it whole, leaving only the Sou-Taichou himself untouched.

_"Getsuga Tenshou."_

Yamamoto didn't even have the opportunity to hear the name of the ryoka's second bankai, nor did he gaze upon it; because in that instant, something cut through the smoke and fog. A swathe of deadly energy tore past him, incinerating a voluminous sleeve and the arm within.

He turned, expecting a follow-up, a counter of some sort...

...and _that_ was when the missile that was Jakuho Raikoben screamed into his line of sight. His last thought wasn't a thought at all. It was more of an instinct, as he raised the blade, as he attempted some feeble manner of a guard-

And then there was only the all encompassing whiteness.

**A/N: And there you have it! I am back to my wilely ways of updating! I've already updated A Change of Perspective, put several others up for adoption, and, as you can see, this is one of the stories I've chosen to update. Sorry if this one was short! I know, I know, its impossible for someone to have two bankai, let alone two zanpakutou, but this is Ichigo we're talking about, and this is fanfiction! The laws of reality do not apply! Anyway, things'll get heated as of next chapter! Literally! **

**Next chappy:**

**Ichigo vs Yamamoto!**

**R&R! =D**


End file.
